It is rather goofy-looking, isn't it? I think it was reused in Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster. Remember the big bird thing that comes out of nowhere and pecks Big G's forehead? The resemblance is remarkable.

"The Giant Claw", although phony-looking (an understatement!) and loaded with silly dialogue, is actually fun to watch. It's one of those "so bad it's good" movies! Lack of money was obviously the culprit here. The special effects (!!) team did win an oscar for their effects in Disney's "20 000 Leagues Under the Sea". Boo-hiss to the screenwriter as well. Still, a great midnight movie!

I too am delighted beyond words to find someone who has an similar appreciation for the film of films. I have actually watched it mor times by far than I have any other movie. I am friends with the afore quoted giantclaw@hotmail and we have spent a generous part of our friendship having fun thanks to The Giant Claw and Jeff Morrow.We have rung in the new year watching this masterpiece. We drove through Kansas in the dead of winter, middle of the night, no heater, radio or interior lights staying sane by emulating Mith MacAfee almost the entire length of the state. Try to count how many time Mitch blinks when he is listening to the state of emergency radio broadcast in his apartment with Sally. Dig ya later gator.

This is the film that I have seen the most number of times. Words fail me. An absolute gem. Is there such a thing as The Giant Claw fan club?If so, where do I sign up. I've never understood why films like Plan 9 or Robot Monster get the attention when this classic is always overlooked.Long live Pierre, Mitch , Sally, Apple Jack brandy & that opening narration, " Once the world was big, and no man in his life time could circle it....."Cheers.

I've been fascinated with this movie ever since I was a little kid because of the line that comes right after Godforsaken-antimatter-galaxy line: "I don't care if it comes from outer space or Upper Saddle River, New Jersey." Being a kid from Upper Saddle River, I didn't have much opportunity to hear the name of my hometown used in a movie. Plus - at that age - I loved any science fiction movie anyway, no matter how crappy. Only as a "sophisticated" teenager did I come to appreciate the rich, full-bodied awfulness of this flick. (But, come on, Robot Monster really is much, much worse than Giant Claw.)

The filmmakers had the money, but decided to farm the special effects out to Mexico, rather than hand 'em over to Willis O'Brien or Ray Harryhausen. Isn't it scary? If Ray gave us an animated anti-matter buzzard, this would be considered some kind of "classic," no matter how crappy the script.

Title: The Giant Claw
Post by: on September 29, 1999, 11:59:36 PM

I was too young to see this one in the theaters, my parents thought it was too frightening and the previews on TV terrified me, "Who's afraid of the big bad bird." was the line before the teen age hot rodders got carried away.

Then I saw it on TV and, like WOW! This is terrific, all the realism of Sesame Street's Big Bird, the terror of over acting, and when you can drink a lot of beer and watch "The Giant Claw", well, does life get any better than this?

Title: The Giant Claw
Post by: MB on November 25, 2006, 04:10:12 PM

I remember so vivdly being on the playground in front of the screen at the drive-in movies when the preview for "The Giant Claw" came on. Being only six years old at the time, it scared the bejeepers out of me and I ran back to our woody station wagon and dove into the back seat, peeking out to catch a safe glimpse of the big bad bird. What a hoot!

This movie is no "guilty pleasure" to me; I like it and I am not ashamed to admit it. How can you not like a movie that offers a monster that resembles Sesame Street's Big Bird on LSD? Also get a load of all the quotable lines, most of them going to Jeff Morrow. Like "I don't care if that bird came from outer space or Upper Saddle River, New Jersey." and the classic "You keep your shirt on and I'll get my pants on." Robert Shayne's 'It's just a bird' speech is great too. "It's just a bird, a big bird. A million dollars worth of radar can't track it! Enough firepower to wipe out a regiment can't slow it down. Sure, it's just a bird!" Wow! Okay if you don't like the dialog you can look at the special effects, shot for next to nothing in Mexico AFTER the rest of the film was finished so the actors had no idea what the monster would look like until it was way too late for them to back out! Mara Corday would go on to meet TARANTULA and Jeff Morrow would come back for THIS ISLAND EARTH and THE CREATURE WALKS AMONG US. Sure all of those movie have better special effects but are they as much fun as this? Well, yeah they are, but my point is you don't need a million dollar FX budget for a movie to be fun!

How is this film BAD! The sets were off track, the acting was moderate, but the photography was exelent and the special effects were terrific (you can't see any strings on the well crafted puppet). Of course you viewers are saying "How can this film be good?" Trust me it is good and its a classic for being good, not for being bad. But do not read these other reviews because they cannot tell a good film if it bit them right on their fat asses. THE GIANT CLAW is a masterpiece of good filmaking.

Title: The Giant Claw
Post by: on March 24, 2000, 01:01:31 PM

Anything that has Jeff Morrow in it is watchable as far as I am concerned. Do you know the story ? There were no previews for the cast and Jeff Morrow saw this film for the first time in the movie theatre in the small community where he lived - surrounded by friends and neighbours. When the bird appeared - which he'd never seen before - he sank deeper and deeper into his seat, finally said to his family he'd meet them in the car park, and sneaked out of the rear exit incognito !

Being a tad nervous whenever it comes to flying (and even more so when it comes to heights) The Giant Claw really freaked me out as a kid. That bird actually scared me, the very idea that some big ass ugly thing could swoop out of the sky and gulp you down was just too much. It kept me indoors for a good hour or so. This is a movie I have to get for my ever more extensive Bad Movie Collection. I have nothing but fond memories of it. Long live The Claw!

Title: The Giant Claw
Post by: dave on November 25, 2006, 04:09:03 PM

A flying squawking broomstick in the same league as Reptilicus (minus the color). An absolute delight to watch.Awful beyond belief but truly delightful.

Title: The Giant Claw
Post by: jane on November 25, 2006, 04:10:12 PM

This is one of my favourites. I saw it in the 60's then luckily it was on TV at 3 am a few years ago so I have it on video. I love Pierre the best. He screams - "La Cacanya it has the face of a woman and the body of a bird"( or words just like it.)The claw at the end- terrifying. A great movie which I will share with my 4 year old child soon.

I watched this movie when I was about 8 years old in the 60's and I was impressed at the time. The day after I watched it I directed a little play about it at our bus stop with other kids. I played the buzzard. If any adults were watching out their windows they probably laughed their asses off. I still enjoy it with amusement whenever I can see it today.

Title: The Giant Claw
Post by: bill on November 25, 2006, 04:09:49 PM

With all the computer generated effects / creatures of today, The Claw seems a clumsy attempt at Sci/Fi horror. In the early '60's with only 4 channels of black and white TV with lots of static and snow (no cable back then) and waiting all week for the Saturday night horror show, this was a masterpiece of entertainment. It's amazing what used to make us happy.

I have a real weakness for the early scifi/monsters movies that were made in the 50's and 60's. Maybe the special effects aren't on a par with whats available today but the spirit and atmosphere make up for alot with me. I've often wondered what seeing one of these movies at the theater at that time would have been like. But this movie is one of the good ones. Definitely enjoyable to watch even if the science is a little shaky.. But I do think that Georgiann has the right idea about the drinks. And does anyone else think that the bird looks alot like Gonzo from the muppets?

Title: The Giant Claw
Post by: Herm on November 25, 2006, 04:10:12 PM

I'm a real fan of those 50's sci-fi movies and this one really trips me out. I remember when seeing this movie on those Saturday afternoon monster movies back in the day and I always get a big kick out of looking at the "The Giant Road Runner". And the Applejack I want some of that stuff.

How can anyone be obsessed with this tribute to cheesy, impudent, highly overrated waste of a cameraman's effort? To take the time and watch it through is like taking an hour off your life span - you go back a hundred years in competence when things like this are absorbed into your mind. This thing needs to be forgotten, all records destroyed in a holy and fiery sacrifice, and all descendants of anyone involved in the production or creation of this poor excuse of an eye-rottener need to be shot or hung. Nuff said.

Title: The Giant Claw
Post by: on November 25, 2006, 04:09:49 PM

First trip to the theater when I was about 6 years old and this movie was showing. Don't care if the damn strings were showing, it scared the crap out of me! Does anyone know how to obtain a copy of this classic?

Title: The Giant Claw
Post by: Dan on April 02, 2002, 06:53:20 PM

I think I will go home tonight and put my copy in and watch it again. :)

Every time I think about this movie, I laugh until I wet myself! (Thank God for Depends!-HA!HA!)It was SO awful that it was GOOD!I read somewhere that the puppet used for the "Bird" came from Mexico (I think the maker had too much tequila!)The actors in this film are remembered because this film was such a howler!(wonder if they ever lived it down!)Gotta go...

This is the BEST bad B movie ever made. One thing you didn't mention in your review is this. When Mitch ,Sally and Pierre are looking for the nest Mitch calls Pierre PEPE.How did a Canadian Frenchman become Mexican. Only in this movie. One more thing....I think they used Jeff Morrow as the proto-type for "Clutch Cargo" . You know the cartoon in the 60's that had only the mouth move.

One thing I learned about this movie is that sky divers are crunchy.One of my favorites.I don't see why alot of people hate this movie.Bad effects and all it's still one of the best B movies from the 50's.Quit trying to compare the Claw with Gaos. The Claw was a lot more terrifying.

This is my most favorite B movie of all time. However this website is missing two of the best scenes from the movie. Firstly, at the end of the movie, the scene where the claw slowly sinks into the ocean is absolutely priceless. Secondly, the shots from the weather balloon of the approaching bird - this is the scene that I always remember when I think of this movie. I especially like the last frame where all you see is the bird's eye! If I can ever get decent bit - frames of that scene together, I'd put together a screen saver that would keep everybody laughing for hours, and I'd send it to everyone on this site! If anyone has some good bitmaps of that scene or know where I can acquire a dvd version of the movie (the link on this website is no longer valid) please let me know.

Actually had a good scene. The series of snaps the balloon camera took had a certain drama as the frames sequenced. Real research is kind of like that, so in a way it really was good for 8-year-old boys. And the hours of dead cinema between the crackling parts was very much like school. Even terrific special effects don't save movies that are obviously killing time (Godzilla the Remake!).

Title: The Giant Claw
Post by: Dave on November 25, 2006, 04:10:12 PM

You know you're at the epitome of boredom when it strikes you to do a Google search for "La Cacanya". To think I used to keep my younger brother "in line" with the threat of feeding him to it back in the 60's! After all, Rome, NY was just a few hours away from Canada, and who knows if there were more of them things?

I wonder if one of the movie studios would consider a remake with "Lucas Arts" type graphics. Only this time have it decide to nest in southern Afghanistan, or even Iraq. Even with the addition of the "A-A-A-A-A-I-I-I-I-E-E-E-E-E-E-E!!!!" from "Johnny Quest" or "Caveman" added in each time it snatches up some terrorist. Or is that "racial stereotyping" of Arabs?

After all "La Cacanya" ranks right up there with "ROOK!!! GODZIRRA!!!"Actually, it may exceed it except where Godzilla does his dance or uses Karate on his foe.

I would like to comment on the identification of the bird in "Giant Claw". While its body is indeed like a vulture's, its beak structure is identical to that of a flamingo. Based on its distinctive beak, plus its long neck, I would say that it is a giant flamingo. I, for one, find the monster interesting and gruesome. If proerly animated, it could have been sinister.

Title: The Giant Claw
Post by: Scott on March 21, 2003, 04:28:55 PM

You forgot to mention that they figure out that the anti-matter shield drops so the bird can eat. So, instead of working up the bizarre experimental device to temporary shut down the shield so they can shoot it, why not just fill a train car with poisoned cows?

Wonderfully atrocious, brilliant in its inanity, glorious in its putridness. It's the "I'm Koo-Koo For Cocoa Puffs Bird" on acid!! Yet, there IS something creepy about its look, especially in closeup. Sort of like a bird like version of the Joker. I have a rare 8mm short version of the movie that I used to show at my birthday parties when I was a kid. The fun part was running it backwards. Dig that giant claw slowly sinking into the sea at the end - what a delicious, full bodied "chicken" soup it would make!!

Title: The Giant Claw
Post by: dave on November 25, 2006, 04:10:12 PM

Found "THE GIANT CLAW" video at a libary sale table for 50 cents. "Serious and having fun" ??? or why is General Buskirk always touching someone??? Mesons , yes they are for real.. even a B-Mason, maybe named for this B movie??Watch it you'll have fun and look for all those pictures of George Washington in all the offices. "remember that??"The only thing I found to be of anti-matter in this film was the crazy kids jalopi.. after the bird drops it, it vaporizes into atomic particles. Much better move than "The Mantis".

How could anybody HATE this movie? It's so goddamn goofy that you can't help but love it.WARNING: Do not watch THE GIANT CLAW without smoking some killer reefer. Doing so may cause incurible sanity and a strange erge to join the Republican party.

Attack of a deranged muppet! This is so much fun, you can enjoy it even if you're sober!

Title: The Giant Claw
Post by: Alan on November 25, 2006, 04:09:49 PM

born 1948 started watching all the old classics in black and white and then in semi-color in the mid 50's with my mother who was a monster fan herself. since childhood i have never slept much. together seen them all on the late night t.v. million dollar movies growing up in n.y.c. to this day i watch them and enjoy them with wonderful memories of my mother long gone.i passed on that joy with my children and grandchildren who also enjoy them, from the 40/50/60/'s these old and sometimes funny classics and the actors will span many gerations. my thanks to all of them

Woa! I need some Apple -Jack after seeing this! A great film for a outdoor drive-in. And that Sausage Train...what a ride...Maybe they should have called it "The Wacky Crow"or "The Big Bird That Wasn't". For some reason... pilots don't like this movie..

I saw this movie at a science fiction convention in 1992, and just about died of pleasure when I realized that the monster must have been the inspiration for the monster in the Transformers episode “The Secret of Omega Supreme.” Adding to the coolness was that the middle-aged fan of classic B-movies who was screening this movie for us actually expressed an interest in seeing that Transformers episode after I told him about it. Aah, good memories. :-)

The Giant Claw is a great movie the Monster Bird does not look funny it looks scary and it's really gonna scare ya pants off The Giant Claw has great miniatures, fantastic acting, and good actors. The Giant Claw is a masterpiece a must-not-miss film you'll love to watch this movie.

Title: The Giant Claw
Post by: Born in the 50s on November 25, 2006, 04:10:12 PM

I saw this movie once in the 60s (I had forgotten its name), but it left an indelible impression on me. Maybe the wicked stomach virus I just caught (Mommy, I sick!) inspired the flashback. I specifically remember the scene where a man shepherds his child into a shelter as The Claw approaches. The next scene is of the burned remains of the shelter. The message I got was, "See, kids, even your parents and their fallout shelters can't keep you safe (from nuclear war)."

An absolute treat for an unsuspecting 8 year old one cloudy saturday Michigan afternoon in 1966.The scene where the unlucky parachuteer becomes crunchy birdfeed was forever etched in my memory as one of the scariest scenes of my life, and I had never forgotten it.Until i found it here , I had only seen this fine piece of Pre-NAFTA filmmaking that one time only.Also, the P-Chute jumpers scramble sequence, as they bolt out the plane from their lo-budget card table is pretty funny too.

Title: The Giant Claw
Post by: George on November 25, 2006, 04:09:49 PM

Hello everyone and welcome to either Science Fiction Theather or Creature Feature this was on both back in ST.Louis on Ch.30,(of course we could see The Hooded Claw terrorize Penelope Pitstop,or Inspector Gadget taking on Dr.Claw),anyway this Rodan Gaos wannabe came from,well either outer space or was affected by radiation,whichever,take your slimpickings,this seemingly indestructable Buzzard Beast has a force of antimatter around it,so's it can't die within the first 40mins,see the big buzzard fly around and well pick up plains trains and automobiles,plus a very lame attack on New York City,and some scientists who finally are able to penetrate the antimatter around it,after that the thing is easily destroyed,Rodan and Gaos would have a feild day fighting this looser!.

Ah, the first film I ever reviewed at KWAM, for what would become Jabootu.

The older scientist character later (only played this time by John Carradine) also appeared in Katzman's Invisible Invaders, where he was killed and had his corpse possessed by evil aliens. That's show biz for you.

:bouncegiggle: The Giant Claw has got to be the most ridiculous monster of an absurd age of sci-fi movies. God, the shadow-lobsters of TEENAGERS FR0M OUTER SPACE make this bug-eyed big-bird look all the more absurd--yet you must give the producers credit for just going balls-out and showing this insane looking colassal bird in full light in all of it's Muppetish glory. That tuft of hair on its head is a real touch of genius. Does anyone know who built that c-s prop? Paul Blaisdell did wonders on a low budget--bad movies with interesting, unique creatures. Well, THE GIANT CLAW is certainly unique. I think most people would start laughing, seeing that in the sky. But the "crunch-n'-munch" paratroopers gives the movie a memorable hook. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall when that bird was designed, and then brought to all its pupett-ish reality. Drunk? 50's equivalent of LSD?? God only knows. But there are a lot worse, like when they never show even a single process or even a minature perspective shot, like GIANT GILA MONSTER, a movie I'd say rates a lot lower on the entertainment scale. And Jeff Morrow is not really a bad actor, and had somewhat of a career in film and TV. Poor guy, trapped in this "turkey". Wonder what the budget on the efects was? the story is typical 50's dreck nonsense, explaining away the most bizarre mutations possible with a simple throwaway sentence. I grew up in the late 50's, and people actually thought about things. A simpler time, but REALLY... well, movies were shorter, they had to hurry the plot along. GIANT CLAW was made in a bizarro, kooky way but really insults the intelligence of the viewer with its laughable monster. If only someone had the kahoones to try that today... Maybe a CGI version of the same feathered fiend? GIANT CLAW,alternatley fun and just stupid. :lookin :lookingup:gup:

I agree, the movie is just wonderful. I have to watch it at least once per year. Steven Spielberg probably owns it on DVD. Why not? I do. Try to watch it after midnight when it gets even better. So, kick back, don't think about it and enjoy.

What I learned from this movie:1. the Civil Aeronautics Board must be hiding something from us, because their members wear parachutes while they fly. Not that it does them any good... [crunch] :bouncegiggle:2. Trains (toy & otherwise) had real strong couplers back in the day.3. Some of Dolittle's Raiders were diverted to protect New York. (It's either that or the movie stole footage from "30 Seconds Over Tokyo"... naaaaah! :wink:)

Classic!

Title: Re: The Giant Claw
Post by: HAL on March 23, 2009, 04:57:42 AM

YOU REALLY MEAN THIS MOVIE DOES EXIST???? HAHAHAHAHAHA, I am such an ignorant. I gotta see it! :hot:

I'll never understand as to why our KMR reviewer gave a great movie like Return of the Giant Monsters a reluctant 2 out of 5 and this turkey Buzzard beast a 5 out of 5!.

Thanks to You Tube,I've seen both the MST3K parody (which brings the question,why was it never shown on the real MST3K,by either Bots Master Joel or Mr.Mike?) and the complete movie all the way through.

I might add this movie to my collection sometime,provided it doesn't cost over $5.00s,or even lower,I got the double feature Voyage to a Prehistoric Planet & Warning From Space for one thin dime,a real bargin,if The Giant Claw's on sale for one thin dime and I happen to be there.

I might add this movie to my collection sometime,provided it doesn't cost over $5.00s,or even lower,I got the double feature Voyage to a Prehistoric Planet & Warning From Space for one thin dime,a real bargin,if The Giant Claw's on sale for one thin dime and I happen to be there.

Right now it's available on DVD as part of the "Icons of Horror Collection - Sam Katzman" set that I link to in the review. "Creature With the Atom Brain" is also in the set, and that's one that I think is a fun b-movie. "The Werewolf" is OK - it's more like MST3K material and can be boring on its own. The last movie in the set, "Zombies of Mora Tau" is fairly patience-taxing.

For me, the set was a must have. I just love "The Giant Claw," and would have bought the set for it alone.

Did colonel Sanders have anything to do with this film?,............Over in Britain we had a bird just like this one called Mr Cadbury's parrot.And one other thing, if only Jeff Morrow and his pals had looked skyward, they would have noticed ( possibly) an even stupider looking person holding the marionettes strings!.But seriously, a laugh riot if ever I've seen one. You will not believe what you see ( & hear! )

I remember this movie from when I was a child, it aired locally in NYC as part of Creature Feature. Of course after your review I had to own it and relive a part of my childhood. Well it was funny then, and it's much funnier now. Thanks!

Wow! I think I might have been 3 or 4 years old when I saw this, and then I spent the rest of the day hiding under the dining room table so the bird couldn't get me. All these years I couldn't remember the name of the movie. Thanks!

I am so thrilled to find others who share my great love of this film!! I have spent many hours with friends savouring the inane dialogue and joyously shouting "...as big as a battleship" on the many occasions thoughout the movie that this is said. It's hard to pick a favourite part really. I am totally in love with the bird of course - I mean, who wouldn't be?? I love the way it appears to be flying past the weather balloon camera in one frame then kindly stops for a Cecil B. De Mille close up in the next. I was secretly pleased that it ate the car of teenagers after they referred to Mitch as "Daddy-O". Its combination of beak, flaring nostrils, teeth, mohawk and painfully bent-looking neck are incomparable. I actually find it quite attractive - as far as terrors from the skies go (actually, it has to be a SHE right, she's laying eggs!). She's much better looking than Mitch - IS he cross-eyed at times or am I mistaken? I adore Pierre and his ridiculous apple-jack and the whole good general/bad general interrogation of Mitch. The wonderful atomic spit-ball solution to neutralise the anti-matter shield and make the bird vulnerable to "cannons, guns and rockets" (isn't that Mitch just too clever for words?). Sally and Mitch's sex talk on the plane (until they are told off). And the satisfyingly B-grade quotes!! My all time favourite has to be Mitch's line, "That makes me chief cook and bottle-washer at a one man bird watchers' society". They just don't write 'em like that anymore. The final scene is like icing on the cake. For a giant bird, it seems to make a very light splash when it lands in the ocean. However, that aside, the shot of the claw is priceless. By the way, if you think about it, the bird tended to use its beak much more than its claws during its reign of terror, so I not really sure why it wasn't called The Giant Beak. Ok, if I have to pick a favourite scene, it's Mitch looking at the unrelated crosses Sally is drawing on a map to represent the sites of the bird's attacks, and recognising they occur in a SPIRAL pattern!! It's this kind of logic that I adore about B-grade films!! I am always the better for having chuckled along with :cheers: this film, and it's great to know that I am not alone. javascript:void(0);

Watched this with some friends over the weekend - FANTASTIC! perfect old classic, good acting, and great Buzzard or whatever he is! We all laughed and really enjoyed this movie and watched it a second time this week! You can watch the whole movie on Google videos -just search in the videos over 20 mins. in length- hook your computer to TV and everyone can watch. Now go get some popcorn! :cheers:

I first saw this movie when i was around 10. Even then i realized there was something wrong with this "Bird". Fast forward and I recently played this for my kids 8 and 14. I told them that they would never forget the "monster". When that bird came on the hysterical laughter of the kids was well worth the monthly Netfix. This movie is awesome and a Must for any "B" fan. You don't see anything like this today.

I've had a theory for awhile now that, in-universe, the bird is in fact terrifying BECAUSE it is so damned goofy looking. To a person about to be smashed or eaten by this thing, they see it and want to guffaw in laughter, like any member of the audience. But they are about to die, and die horribly, and the horror of this is amplified, not lessened, by the fact of what it looks like.